


Life is What Happens

by Goddess47



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 03:41:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8605903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goddess47/pseuds/Goddess47
Summary: John had never planned on being Sheriff





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is some of my head!canon for John Stillinski

John had never planned on being Sheriff. 

He had loved being a deputy. He knew the job made Claudia nervous, but they had talked about it before he had even proposed. 

"Just... let me know what is going on," Claudia had asked.

"I'll do what I can," John had promised. 

Over the years, that had mostly worked for them. Claudia had kept the obvious fretting to a minimum, and John would make the effort to contact her. Even when the job wouldn't let him go home, he made sure to call regularly. Even a few cheerful words from her would make the most gruesome tasks more bearable.

When Stiles was seven, Sheriff Reynolds had a heart attack.

Along with everyone else, John had hoped that Reynolds would be able to come back to work. He had been a good supervisor, even-handed in his application of the laws, and compassionate when necessary.

John had stopped by Reynold's home, to see if he needed any assistance, and to bring him up to date on what was going on in the office.

"John! Just the person I wanted to see!" Reynolds had greeted him.

"What can I do for you?" John had offered.

"Take my job," Reynolds said.

John had sat down, stunned.

"You thought Hansen would get the job, didn't you?" Reynolds grinned.

"Yes," John replied. "He's got more experience, and he's got seniority."

"Two things," Reynolds enumerated. "First of all, Hansen and the Mayor have... a history. You don't need, or want, to know more about it than that, but that's a deal breaker."

John nodded.

Reynolds continued. "And, honestly, you'll be better at it than anyone else in the department. You're good with people, you're honest, and you have a good conviction record. And that pretty wife and kid will make you attractive to voters. The best part is that you'd have three years before you'd have to run for election."

"That's... I don't know what to say." John was stunned.

"I can't give you a lot of time to think about it," Reynolds went on. "The doc has essentially ordered me to retire. I won't be able to pass the physical, is the bottom line. Once I've put in the papers, you'll need to step up."

"I'm sorry." John was sincere.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," Reynolds promised. "I'll be glad to help you."

John and Claudia had talked all night. He knew that, at least at first, it would be more hours away from home, but once he had a handle on the work, it should settle into regular hours.

With Reynolds' support, the Mayor appointed John as interim Sheriff. At first, John spent a lot of time with Reynolds, but he soon found his feet and started making his own, small, changes.

When Stiles was ten, Claudia died. And John had to run for office to keep his job.

"I can't do this." John called Reynolds, who had left Beacon Hills for a retirement community in Arizona the year before.

"John, breathe," Reynolds commanded. "I know you miss Claudia but, sorry to be crass, you get a freebie here. You've been doing a great job, and you'll get the sympathy vote. If anyone even runs against you."

"I know no one else has filed," John admitted. "But... Stiles..."

"If you aren't the Sheriff, what else would you do?" Reynolds asked. "I suspect you don't want to leave Beacon Hills just yet?"

"That's right," John answered.

"If you weren't Sheriff, what else would you do?" Reynold pressed.

John didn't have an answer for that.

That year, he ran for office unopposed. It gave him a job for another six years. 

John had to run for office again when Stiles was sixteen. There was some minor opposition, but Stiles got involved in the campaign and John won another six year term.

Then Derek Hale came back to Beacon Hills, and life changed again.


End file.
